Horror Fan Fiction ❯ Death Comes Knocking ❯ Encounters ( Chapter 3 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

A few minutes after James had left to go drink with Roxy, Dan, and Amy, the remaining five friends sat around a table in the corner of the game room discussing what they would be doing later that evening.

“Hey Sarah, wanna go bowling with me later?” Jennifer asked the tall blonde.

Sarah sat for a few seconds mulling the idea over in her head. “Sure, why not, but where at? Didn't they close the one here in town?”

“Yeah they did, but there's one in Bluefield, I've heard its pretty good.” Jennifer replied.

“Alright, I think I'll go with ya then, beats sitting at the house doing nothing.” laughed Sarah “What about the rest of you? Wanna go bowling with us?”

“Nah, I've got to go to work, which sucks ass, because Food City doesn't give me enough hours anyway. But thanks for asking.” Chris told her.

Sarah and Jennifer both looked at Adam and Jeremy with raised eyebrows.

“No, bowling's not my thing, if you asked me to go to a club or something, then I'd follow you in a heartbeat.” replied Jeremy.

Adam echoed that by saying he had never bowled before, and just wasn't feeling up to it. He would just go home and sleep. With that said, everyone just sat there in silence for a few seconds, then they all got up at nearly the same time, and made it a race to get to their respective cars.

Noah Horne stood before the force deep in thought, deciding on his course of action. Several members of his force were missing, 47 in total. Noone could raise them on the phone, or via email. They either had fled the area, or simply didn't care about the guard anymore. That left him with just over 700 soldiers, and those soldiers had brought the members of their families that they could muster. 182 women and children, fathers and mothers. He had plenty of room on the base to house five times that number if need be.

He just didn't know if that would be necessary. He had lost contact with his friends in Boston, D.C. New York, Los Angeles, and Houston save for one lone commander that had fortified a police station and was holding out there. Lieutenant Colonel John Dryden, they had went through basic together, now he was fighting for his life, with only 162 of his 1100 soldiers left alive. John had given him a phone call not to long ago, describing his dire situation. The only thing he could relate what was going on was to zombie movies he said. “Noah, that's the only thing that I can say, we shot several of those fuckers center mass, and they just keep on coming, it was disastrous, we finally figured out that a head shot would finally stop them. Then later we learned that the people they bite became those things. We had 46 that were injured with bites, within a few minutes they died and turned into ...into zombies I guess. They attacked us and took us by surprise, we took heavy losses. So the remaining officers and myself issued orders that anyone bitten will be disposed of immediately.” he had told him.

If all that was true, and knowing John the way he did, it was, he was not going to let his men meet that same fate. Maybe he could do the same for some of the local citizens too. He had sent an armed squad to the local radio station, telling the D.J. working there to tell the people to come to the base as soon as possible, but not to panic. That was 3 hours ago. The squad had gotten back without incident. His major problem now, was the fortification of the base. Fortifying the entire base wasn't possible on short notice. But he could try to make the main compound and surrounding buildings safe.

He signaled for his second in command to come over. “Captain Goodell, I want you to take a full company and go out and secure the dozen buses at the bus garage 12 miles south on interstate 81. There is also a car dealership maybe a 1,000 feet away, go there and secure as many vehicles as you can. Mainly trucks if you can. You know how many it should take to park up against the fence.” The captain nodded his assurance. “Now Martial law was declared a couple of hours ago, so the owner should comply with you, in the event that he is obstructive, use all necessary force to see that you accomplish your mission. I will trust your judgement. Dismissed.”

Noah saluted, and in return so did Captain Billy Goodell as he left to lead his 190 men to retrieve enough large vehicles to brace the insides of the fence. Noah hoped that the vehicles would help do that. He then motioned for 2 more of his higher ranking officers to him.

He gave to two men their orders, one, Lieutenant Brad Robertson, was to take enough men and bring the hummers, jeeps, trucks and other vehicles around to the front gate and stand ready to depart in a half hour. The second man, Sergeant Major Larry Matney, was given the order to assemble the weapons out front, as many as he could fit on the vehicles safely and give the soldiers extra ammo and an extra weapon if they want one. They both saluted and left in a hurry to get their jobs accomplished.

It was now 7:30 A.M. At 8 sharp, He would send half of the remaining troops, a total of just over 200 soldiers, out to assist the populace in their attempts to reach the base. The rest would remain and protect the base and the civilians currently here.

7:43 A.M.

“Sir!” Corporal Johnson came running at breakneck speed towards Noah. “ Sir, Captain Goodell has reached the bus garage sir, and he has found all employees there dead, and 11 zombies in the immediate area!” he told his commanding officer in a shaky voice.

It has begun Noah thought. “Give me the radio Corporal.” Johnson handed him the radio.”Captain. Come in. Do you read me?”

“Yes sir, do you want me to proceed as ordered sir?” Came the static filled voice.

“Yes Captain. Remember what we went over last night. These things are zombies, we know that much. A shot to the head will stop them for good. Avoid bites at all costs. If anyone becomes bitten, you know what to do.” Noah waited for a response.

“Yes sir, I do.” Caption goodell replied with a hint of doubt in his voice.

“We cant afford mistakes, Billy. Not anymore. Mistakes will get us all killed. Your one of my best men. I trust you to get the job done. Luck to you, Noah out.” he handed the radio back to the corporal.

It was now eight. Time for him to lead his men into the now dangerous country to try to save as many lives as possible. He ordered his men to the main yard out front to assemble for a rescue mission. All the available trucks and weapons were ready to go. Noah looked into the faces of the nearest group of soldiers, and saw his fear and apprehension mirrored in their faces.

“Lets move out!” he thundered when everyone was in position.

James lay in the floor of Roxy's apartment, listening to the alarm clock in Roxy and Dan's bedroom go off.

“Someone please turn that goddamn noisy thing off!” James yelled into the couch on his left. He didn't know how he got on the floor, but with the headache he already had, he had a good idea.

“I second that.” Mumbled Amy from the guest bedroom.

James chuckled to himself. “Ah fuck, I got class at eight dammit.” he cursed at himself. Rubbing his aching neck, he stumbled upright and went to wake Roxy and Dan up. But he was late on that, they were awake by the time he got into their room. “Were up man.” mumbled Dan.

“Alright, just making sure. Its 7:15 right now. I'm gonna get a shower. Then we gotta leave.”

They said they would be ready to go by the time he got out, so with that, James went to take his shower, passing Amy as she was leaving the bathroom. He decided to shave while he was at it. “I could sure use one.” he said as he checked himself in the mirror, and started to busy himself with showering and shaving.

When he had got out and got dressed, he went to the kitchen and grabbed a pop tart and went into the living room to watch some tv quickly before he left. When he got there, he saw all three of his friends staring out the front window.

“What are ya looking at out there?” he asked Amy.

“SHHH!...come here!” She whispered to him.

“What? What is it?” he asked as he walked to the window and looked out.

What he saw made his blood run cold. On the front lawn of the apartment was their neighbor, 27 year old John Fry laying on the ground, with a man dressed in a bloodied and tattered business suit, And a woman dressed in just a ripped bathrobe. They were eating him.

“Holy fucking shit...damn...fuck...” James stammered. “What the fuck is going on.”He whispered to the rest of the group.

“Zombies James, their zombies. They've got to be, that guy has his guts hanging out.” Dan told him.

“Well what do we do, we cant stay here. Do we have any guns or anything?” Asked James in a hurried voice.

“And where the hell do you think were gonna go? To the college?” said Roxy.

“Uhh...yeah...no, that wouldn't be a good idea huh?” James thought for a few seconds.”The national guard base! they have weapons and soldiers and shit there!” he exclaimed.

“Yeah. We thought about that already, I do believe that's were we need to go...and go veeeery soon.” Amy told them all.

“James, we had a handgun In the closet. Its on the couch now. My dad gave it to me, it's a 9mm. Got 2 extra clips. But I don't really wanna shoot those things or waste the bullets.” Dan told him in a rather calm voice given the situation. “But we do have these swords hanging on the wall. Most are just replicas and fakes and shit, but we've got three real katana's. And an old broadsword that's been in the family forever.”

“Yeah. I think I know what your saying, take the real swords down and get rid of those zombies?” James asked him in an almost incredulous voice.

“Yep. Pretty much.”

“Shit.” James laughed. “I've always wanted to try out some swordplay. Looks like ill get my chance. Although im taking the broadsword, I've got a little Scottish blood in me. So, I want the big motherfucker.” He grinned.

“Damn man, you're just a tad bit crazy, you know that?” Dan told him as we went to retrieve the swords.

“Now, there's enough swords for the four of us, and dan, you carry the gun just in case we need it. Roxy is the better driver so she has the keys. The plan is, since your all pussies, that I'll go out there first and take a hack or 2 at the zombies out there. Amy, you follow close behind me, I may need help. Roxy, you and dan go around the side of the house and get your truck, its got enough room for the four of us. I only see 3 of them out there, but there will probably be more around, and the sound may bring them here, so pay attention to everything and be ready. As soon as Amy and I dispatch the zombies, we'll hightail it to the truck, then we'll head to the base. Got it?” James told the three in a hushed voice.

“Damn you talk a lot James, but yeah, I got it” Amy told him. The other two nodded their agreement.

“Alright, lets do this.” James said excitedly as he went to the front door.”On three, ready? One...two...three!” he turned on the handle and shoved on the door with his shoulder. But he forgot to unlock the door.

“Good lord man, give me a heart attack!” Amy smacked him upside his head.

James managed to look slightly sheepish.”Sorry, but lets do it for real this time.” He unlocked the door, and counted down. “ One...two...three!” He threw the door wide open and rumbled down the steps with the rest in tow. Within an instant the zombies heard them and turned towards them and screamed their defiance. Without hesitation, James ran full speed at the male businessman and swung the sword with all his considerable strength into the head of the zombie. The sword crunched bone and took the zombies head off from the nose up, and he went down in a spray of blood and brain matter.

But James had underestimated the force of his swing, the momentum of his powerful stroke had carried him straight into the zombie woman. Knocking them both to the ground in a huge heap of limbs. Luckily, he landed on top of the woman and she had landed face down on the ground, and he had her pinned down, but he had temporarily forgotten about the third zombie, Roxy and Dan's once next door neighbor. With a wild scream the zombiefied neighbor made a quick lunge at him.

That's when Amy finally threw herself into the fray. With a huge leap, she jumped over James and the sprawled zombie woman, and delivered a surprisingly strong downward stroke upon the head of the third zombie, splitting the man's head in half straight down to his torso. Amy was panting hard and looking around wildly for anymore zombies, should they make their presence known. None showed up.

With a look of amazement, he regarded Amy. “Damn, that's one tough girl.”Then he turned his attention back to the squirming form beneath him. With one arm he held the small woman under him relatively still, as he placed the point of the sword at the back of her head. With a huge downward surge, the claymore plunged through the woman's head to embed itself in the damp earth.

“James, Amy! Come on we got the truck ready, and I see a few more coming down the street, hurry!” Yelled Roxy to the two beleaguered friends.

Without any further encouragement, they both headed for the truck as fast as they could, for they could see the half dozen or so forms racing down the street towards them. They reached the safety of the truck only five seconds before the zombies caught up with them. Banging on the sides of the truck and the windows, screeching their hunger for their flesh, Roxy stamped her foot down on the gas as if she were trying to stamp out a fire. Leaving their pursuers to struggle behind them, they headed for the supposed safety of the national guard base. With the carnage of the early dawn left behind the small group of four friends had survived their first encounters with the living dead.